Marcel Antoine Verdier (1817-1856) Portrait of a Young Man, 1835, oil on canvas signed

Marcel Antoine Verdier (1817-1856) Portrait of a young man, 1835. Signed and dated on the right. Oil on canvas. 41.5 X 33.5 cm. In a modern frame: 47 X 39 cm. The young Marcel Antoine Verdier was 18 years old when he painted this portrait in 1835; he had been trained by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (1780–1867) and was said to be one of his best students. This detail is particularly interesting, as the influence of this great painter — who, of course, also excelled in the art of portraiture — is clearly perceptible. The pose of the model is full of grace and naturalness, and certain details, such as the hand or the clothing, are worthy of the teachings of this master. Verdier demonstrates an early mastery of the art of painting, particularly in portraiture, a field in which he would particularly distinguish himself. Marcel Antoine Verdier was born on 20 May 1817 in Paris, where he died on 15 August 1856.